Y'all, writing a picture book is so much harder than you think.

Really.

Your words have to dance with the text. You can't tell too much, or you step on the illustrator's toes.

You can't write to little or your story stops moving along.

See! It's almost a rock and hard place. I guess that is why I like little mini writing challenges like Vivian Kirkfield's 50 Precious Words. Challenges like this make me fine tune every single word that I write.

* Is that verb active enough?
* Do I need that adverb?
​* Do my adjective create images? *How does this word choice create my character's voice?

Eeeek! I only have 50 words to tell a whole story, establish a character, setting, conflict, and resolve it! What?!

It's great practice. (I say as I growl and delete another word. Hehe. Really that was a chuckle.) I can feel my writer muscles growing. 

Well, here we go. Here is my attempt to do all of that in 50 Words!

                            Maggie's Blank Page


The sketchbook page laughs at Maggie. 

“Do it.” 

Maggie grabs her pencil. “I will.”

But drops it.

“Whiter than snow I’ll stay!” The paper mocks. “Zippity-Do-BLAH-Day!”

What if I fail? Maggie pokes the page. “Better to try.” 

Maggie sketches.

“Drat!” The page wails, “a work of heart!”




There you have it! Be like Maggie today. Don't be afraid to let your ideas flow!

Texas' weather is weird y'all. One day, I'm shivering. the next, I'm wearing shorts. It leaves me scratching my head.

One thing, I am Sure about-

Spring Fling!

That's right! Our little Gif contest is back!


                Mark your calendars, April 7th-9th.
​
This year, there will be introducing a brand new category for artists! So keep those pencils sharp. (Or stylus, whatver.) 

Our goal is to help authors grow! So that is exactly what our prized this year will do!

We’ll reveal more as we get closer to April so make sure to subscribe to Kaitlyn's blog, check back here, and follow us on Twitter at #springflingkidlit 

     Spring Fling Rules
1. Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.
2. Choose a gif to inspire your story.
3. All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.
4. Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.
5. Your title is not included in the word count.
6. No illustration notes pretty please.
7. Your gif should be the only visual with your story.
8. The Spring Fling contest officially begins on Wednesday, April 7th.
9. From April 7th to April 9th, post your gif and story on your blog. (If you have one.)
10. Then, add the link to your blog to the form on the Entries page of this website.*
11. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is Thursday April 9th, 2020 at 11:59pm CST.
12. Only one entry per contestant is permitted.

Last month, I found out that I was one of the finalists in a little caption contest from Blue Whale Press!
                                     My prize?
    A copy of No Bears Allowed by Lydia Lukidis! 

Let me tell you, it was quite the treat reading this book. Aside from the great lessons like Face your Fears or Don't judge a Book by Its cover, I loved the wonderful vocab in this story!

Lydia is a master of word choice!

Want an Example?

sHE COULD HAVE SAID, "rABBIT WAS AFRAID OF SPIDERS."

bUT NO, SHE WROTE, "And he squawked when he saw creepy-crawly spiders."

There are so many wonderful turn of phrases just like this sprinkled throughout her book. 

Do yourself a favor, go read this as a mentor text for you or your students. It's bear-y good. :)

Your turn! can you take this plain sentence and Lydia it into something great?

               The flamingo stood in the water.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Did you gobble till you wobble?
​I sure did!

​Have you heard? Alyane Kay Christian over at Blue Whale Press is having a little thanksgiving fun,

a photo captioning contest!

The PRIZE? she is giving away a free 15 minute "first impressions" critique OR COPIES OF THIS BRILLIANT BOOK! LOVE IT!

NOW FOR THE CHALLENGE. caption THE PICTURE BELOW WITH A Thanksgiving THEMED MESSAGE. here IS THE SITE IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE.

Alright! Here is my entry. Wish me luck!!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!! It's one my favorite times of year! Pumpkin Spice, cooler weather, colorful leaves, and....

Susanna Hill's Halloweensie contest!!!! 

Of course, she has found my Kryptonite, WORDS. My Halloweensie story transformed into a Hallow-whopper of a tale! But eventually, I pared down until it reached the required 100 word limit. So without further ado...


​

Goal-Tober​
Ahhh. October the month of falling temperatures, leaves, and....falling apart?

Unfortunately, everything is not always pumpkin spice and everything nice. But I've learned to keep on pressing on. 

Something that's helped me this month in my classroom is setting a goal. So we've called it Goal-Tober. My students each set their own personal goals and then planned steps to achieve them. Each week, I checked in with them during project time to ask them about their goals.

The first two weeks I heard a lot of excuses. And I don't blame them! But last week, they told me, "I know you were going to ask so..."

And as you may know, I teach the whipper-snappers. Therefore, I was held accountable as well!

So for me, it was Goal-Tober: The Story of the Fantastic Five. 

I set a goal in the following areas-

Faith
Family
Financial
Fun
And Physical!

(Okay yes, I cheated on the last one, in more ways than the spelling. But, you get the point!)

My students have encouraged me. So, we will persevere! I know Goal-Tober is almost over, but I bet you can reach a small goal if you try! So go out my friends and try!

I'd love to hear about it. Drop me a comment below. 

​Alright, friends! Ready to take a trip around the world? How about Brazil to visit author, Carola Schmidt? 


Let's begin with my obsession, Carola! Tell me about your favorite donuts?
I love to cook, so I think I would create my own donut. It wouldn’t have a hole since I would fill it with lots of dulce de leche. Donuts are not common here in Brazil. But when I go to the US, I ask for Boston Cream donut.

Ummm, I heartily agree to try any donuts you create! Dulce de Leache. YUM!

But wait, what? Donuts are not common somewhere?!
Hehe.

I bet there is a different common treat that I would adore in Brazil. Add it to the bucket list!

I guess that is one of the most fascinating things about being a part of the writing community. I have met so many amazing authors from around the world!  That being said, tell us, Carola, about where you live. :)
​
   I live in southern Brazil. My city, Curitiba, is the largest and most populous in my state.

 My family is from Prudentópolis originally, which is the main Ukrainian community in Brazil.   

 My two Babushkas (Grandmas) and many relatives still live there.

  Another small town is Carambeí, where my husband’s family lives. Carambeí is charming, like a small European town. My husband's family lives on a farm, and I love to go there.

  Most people in the south are descendants of European immigrants. The heterogeneity of Brazilian people creates a beautiful blend of cultural heritages, ethnicities, and memories.

  Brazil's agriculture is well developed. So, we have fresh ingredients of all kinds even in the biggest cities. At the same time, even the small towns in the south are a bit cosmopolitan. My region seems more like the US Midwest countryside.

  Even with recent troubles, I’m optimistic about my country. It’s a relatively new democracy and still in development. The Brazilian people work hard to have a better place to live. It’s much better today than twenty years ago. ​

What did you enjoy most about working with your illustrator?
I enjoy his versatility. He’s an artist, and makes his living as a musician, designer and illustrator. We worked closely to develop Babushka and Karina. Babushka needed to be a legitimate Ukrainian Babushka and also, at the same time, every Grandma. Babushka is not only my Babushka, she’s the reader’s Grandma, Oma, Abuelita, Nonna, Yaya, etc. The reader carries a strong emotional lace that couldn’t be broken. So we worked together to develop her, and I appreciate his patience and availability, as well as his respect with the emotional heritage the story carries. Karina could be a reader, their sister, or their cousin. So much that it’s the name of my closest cousin.

​

What are some of your favorite books?
My bookcase has a past with classical reading. I love Aldous Huxley, Jack Kerouac, Victor Hugo, Gaston Leroux, William Blake, Milan Kundera, L. Frank Baum, as well as Brazilian literature from 70s: Hilda Hilst, Caio Fernando Abreu, and Clarice Lispector. A Brazilian children’s classical marked my childhood, which is Yellow Woodpecker Ranch (Monteiro Lobato). But lately, I’ve been reading only contemporary writers in order to support their work. 
I’m really enjoying various books from Afonso Cruz. He is Portuguese. Many of his books have been translated, but unfortunately not into English yet. I hope his books will be translated soon. My favorite one is “A Boneca de Kokoschka” (Kokoschka’s Doll), which is available in Spanish as “La Muñeca de Kokoshka”. 
I’m also really enjoying non-fiction, like Malcolm Gladwell (Business) and Bernd Henrich (nature & biology). There are many writers of all literary genres in my city, Curitiba. They shine but don’t have a real opportunity to become well known. I’m still discovering all that we have here. 
​
I think each book has his perfect moment in my life, so my favorites change a lot.

​

Don't forget to follow or support Carola!

Click here to learn more about "Tell Me A Story, Babushka".
Follow Carola on Twitter. 

Did you know National Pizza Day is February 9th?

Interesting Fact #2: Just four days earlier...
It's National Soup Day on February 4th! 

What do these seemingly unrelated days have to do with each other, you may ask? 

Melissa Iwai!

Melissa is the author and illustrator of two books that fit perfectly with these National holidays. Pizza Day and Soup Day. Melissa has a fantastic sense of humor and her books are great blend of food, whimsy, and cooking with kids. It has been a true pleasure getting to know her and her stories

Okay fellow foodie, if you could be any donut, what would you be and why?

I think I would be a cinnamon sugar coated donut hole, actually, because I'm a pretty small person. If I'm in a room with adults only, I will surely be the smallest person there. It used to really bother me for a long time, but I've come to accept it. And hey, sometimes it is cheaper to buy clothes because I can buy children's sizes! haha. I would be coated with cinnamon, because it is one of my favorite spices. 

I have the exact opposite problem. As an elementary teacher, I am usually surrounded by women. I am almost always the tallest...no heels needed :)

​

Can you share with us a favorite line from a book?

One of my very favorite books is Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig. The last line is...

"Some day they might want to use it, but really, for now, what more could they wish for? They all had all that they wanted."

It's hard for us to read that out loud without tearing up! ​

What a fantastic view to have! A sweet lesson in gratefulness, right? One of the fabulous things about you, Melissa, is how you celebrate the moment. Even when you told me about your path to publication, it glowed with hope and a desire to become better!


The hardest part for me was believing that it (publishing) was possible.

When it hadn't happened yet, and it was just an idea, it was hard to act as if I believed - doing all the things I knew I should do, which was keep on working, keep on getting better - even though it wasn't a guaranteed outcome. Even after I signed with my agent, I didn't get any work for a year and a half!

I just kept at it. 

Aside from the wonderful books you have written, you are also a very talented illustrator with a great deal of experience. So one last question, what tip do you have for authors from an illustrator's perspective? 

Usually authors don't work directly with the illustrator. The only time I have is when I've worked with my husband, Denis Markell, who is also an author. In that case, I would say that it is important to let the illustrator create their own vision of the story without your input.

Give them the freedom to tell their interpretation of the story without imposing your own vision of what you expect the illustrations to look like. Luckily for me, my husband is really good at doing this!

Yay for supportive husbands! And wives! Thank you for that insight. It is challenging to let illustrators "do their thing", but often they bring our stories into life in a way we could never imagine. 

Thank you for stopping by Melissa! It has truly been a pleasure.

Connect with Melissa
website: https://www.melissaiwai.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissaiwaiart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/meliwai
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaiwai1/

Click here to buy Pizza Day. Or here for Soup Day.

Melissa Iwai is the author and illustrator of many books for young children.
Some of her books include Soup Day and Pizza Day, which she wrote and illustrated and Let's Go to the Hardware Store, which she illustrated and many others. She is the illustrator of Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, a 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, an Orbis Pictus Honor book, a 2019 Bank Street Best Book of the Year Listing, and an ILC (International LiteracyAssociation) Teacher's Choice Book. She received her BFA in Illustration from Art Center College of
Design in Pasadena, CA and currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband,
author, Denis Markell, and their teenage son, and Shiba Inu, Nikki. ​

Everyone knows I have to start with this question first!

If you could be any donut, what would you be and why?
 
What a fun question! Hmm. I really had to think about this one. I mean, if I’m eating a donut, I want it to be chocolate. Or one of those fluffy, cream-filled ones. Or maybe both.

(I like the way you think, Jodi!)
 
If I could be any donut, I think I might want to be a French cruller. Not because they’re fancy, but because I’m a people pleaser. Crullers are light and airy and have nooks and crannies to cradle every bit of sugary glaze, so those enjoying said donut don’t miss a single drop of sweetness.
 
In reality, I think I’m a funnel cake. Sweet, but admittedly a bit of a tangled mess.

Aren't we all funnel cakes in the end? Life is messy, glad you embrace it! Speaking of messy, the path to publication is also complicated. Tell us about yours. 

My journey is a bit of a long and winding road. Although I spent most of my childhood and teenage years writing,  it was never presented to me as a viable career option. It wasn’t until I started reading to my own boys that I realized how much I missed sharing stories.

I began writing picture books.
I began submitting.
I began getting REJECTIONS.

Although some were positive (what we call “champagne rejections”), I only saw the “no”s. They crushed me. I buried my dream and busied myself writing articles for magazines instead.
 
Despite my own issues with confidence, my husband Larry and I both recognized how important it was to nurture the dreams of our children. Both boys displayed talent and an interest in the arts at an early age, and we cheered them every step of the way.



“If it were easy,” we’d assure them, “everyone would do it.”



Before we knew it, they were accepting their high school diplomas. Empty nest threatened to hit hard.
 
“It’s time for you to get back to your passion,” Larry said. “Writing stories for children.”
 
I shook my head. “It’s too hard to get published.”
 
“What?” Both boys were incredulous. “Have you been lying to us all these years?”
 
Busted. They called me out.
 
Larry issued a challenge. “Hit it hard for the four years the boys are in college,” he said. “Go to conferences, hone your craft, submit your stories. If you aren’t published by the time the boys graduate, we’ll reevaluate the situation.” 

So I did.

And I got rejections. And they stung. But I kept at it. 

​Finally, I took WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN to a conference, where I received two professional and conflicting critiques. (Yes! That happens! This is a very subjective business.) One editor told me I had to make sure the readers knew the dragon was real. The other? She proposed I revise the story, so readers knew the dragon was imaginary.

What do you think was the hardest part of your path to publication?
 
There are so many challenges, but I think the hardest thing for me was getting out of my own head. And way.
 
Although the path may be lined with rejections, you can’t let the “no”it-alls define or discourage you.

I know that is something I struggle with when I receive a rejection whether it be "form" or "champagne". Just keep writing, right?

Very inspiring, my friend. Let's keep the inspiration flying. What inspired your books?
​

My mom worked outside the home when I was a baby. But each night, she’d bring home a book for us to share. Early on, I learned to associate books with love. The seed was planted. Books helped me to make sense of my own world and transport me to new ones. Imagine, I thought, being able to produce something that was such a source of joy, comfort, inspiration, information, empathy and connection.
 
More specifically, the first Dragon story was literally inspired by a sandcastle that my husband built. Remember how I mentioned Empty Nest? The first time we visited the beach by ourselves, we were admittedly a bit sad.

But Larry decided to bring his sand tools anyway. Of course, the other children on the beach were more than happy to help!

One little guy pushed a piece of seaweed into the door of the castle. Ever encouraging, my husband said, “That looks like a dragon’s tail. Our castle is so cool, a dragon moved in!”
 
Then, the heavens opened and the angels sang. The idea for When A Dragon Moves In was conceived.

What are some of your favorite books?
 
May I direct you to the nearest library?

Behold.

My favorite books.
​

​All kidding aside, I could name hundreds. Thousands! That being said, the book I’ve gifted most is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, which is a story about unconditional love, and “the art” of letting go, all from the perspective of a dog. I read half of it on a plane ride out to a writer conference in California and the other half on the way back, my heart firmly nestled in my throat the entire time (sometimes with tears streaming) and recommending it over and over to the persons sitting beside me. (See? FUNNEL CAKE.) I probably should apologize to them for that.
 
No, I take that back. The book is that good. 

Definitely adding this one to my toppling TBR pile! I love dogs and definitely need to continue mastering the art of letting go! Which leads us into the tip you have for us. What is your number one revision strategy for authors?
 
Let your story rest (I call it “marinate”) before you make any changes, whether they be suggestions from treasured critique partners, professional editors or self-driven.

Work on something else.
Take a walk.
Take a bath.
In a related note: don’t “save” over the originals (yes, that would be plural – each update is a new original), but date each revision and keep them in a separate file. You never know when you’ll want to refer back to something, keep it the way it was or even use a deleted scene/sentence/character in another story!

After all, there’s only a one letter difference between previous and precious. ;-)


Okay y'all did I not say Jodi is one positive ray of light in the kidlit world?! Here are some ways to catch up with her!
Her website! (Her site really is great. Go click the previews of her books. So cool!)
Facebook
Twitter

And did I mention that her book of When a Dragon Moves in Again is about to be released? You can pre-order here.

Comment below or retweet to be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of Jodi's I Love My Dragon!

​Go forth and sprinkle joy and kindness!